When I released my picture book, Space Cop Zack, Protector of the Galaxy, in August 2013, I published a series of blogs about the power of imagination, covering everything from how imagination empowers humans to learn how to think symbolically, its role in problem-solving, and its psychosocial and psychological benefits. At that time, I also mentioned that Space Cop Zack is about the “beta version” of imagination—childhood imaginings that help us develop our imaginations into powerful tools that can serve us well throughout our lives.
Space Cop Zack was well received, winning a Readers’ Favorite Book Award and a Gold Medal in the UK Wishing Shelf Book Awards.
About Space Cop Zack, Protector of the Galaxy:
“The author does a fantastic job of capturing a little boy’s imagination…If you are looking for a funny, fun, and entertaining book for your child’s library…pick up a copy and see for yourself what a great book this is.”—Readers’ Favorite Review
I’m happy to announce that Space Cop Zack has returned for new mission, one packed with even more imaginative adventure.
So what new adventure is Zack up to in book two? In GARG’s Secret Mission, GARG is sent to rescue a space princess held captive by the notorious General Electric. When mission control loses contact with GARG, Zack goes looking for him. Will Zack find GARG and help rescue the princess before it’s too late? Will Zack stop the notorious General Electric? That will all depend on where your imagination takes you.
The official release date for GARG’s Secret Mission is May 2, 2017 and it’s available for pre-order now from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, and other online booksellers.
GARG’s Secret Mission has been getting some very enthusiastic thumbs ups from various pre-release review sources, including the UK Wishing Shelf Book Review:
The verdict?
A fantastically fun sci-fi romp…the perfect book for any reluctant boy reader.
—A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
Here’s the full review:
This wonderfully colourful sci-fi adventure is the perfect book for any reluctant boy reader. It’s packed full of the most imaginative fantasy worlds, monsters and gadgets, from the Windy Cavern of Doom to Electrostatic Dwarf Eels to a very clever ZX-E9 Super Blaster!
I sat down with my 7 year old boy and we enjoyed it very much. His eyes almost popped out of his skull when he saw the picture of the Somnosaurus of Brachulon 12! The story is also fun with plenty (PLENTY!) happening to keep any youngster amused. The paragraphs are short, the vocab. perfect for any 6 – 10 year old to follow (maybe with a bit of help from mum and dad). There’s even a fun twist at the end.
Thankfully, the author and illustrator seem to understand that, in a good picture book, the words and the drawings must work together to tell the story. Thus, the author lets the illustrations do the ‘descriptive’ work, with the author focusing on a fast-paced plot. It works very well.
I would recommend this story to any child between 6 – 9 years old. To be honest, it will probably appeal mostly to boys who love big slimy monsters and super-fast spaceships. In fact, if you are struggling to find a book to interest a reluctant boy reader, I’d thoroughly recommend GARG’S SECRET MISSION. It’s worth reading it just to see what an Electrostatic Dwarf Eel looks like!
Many thanks to the Wishing Shelf staff for their enthusiastic review!
